This invention relates to a hinge assembly which is used for cellular telephones and generates a click sound in a closed position and an open position.
In general, a hinge assembly used for cellular telephones comprises a hinge main body and a turnable member. The hinge main body and the turnable member are non-turnably connected to a transmission section and a reception section, respectively. But the hinge main body and the turnable member are turnably connected to each other. By this, the transmission section and the reception section of the cellular telephone are turnably connected through the hinge assembly.
The turnable member is caused to abut with the hinge main body by bias means such as a coiled spring or the like. FIGS. 18(A) and 19(A) show abutment surfaces of the hinge main body and the turnable member b, respectively. Three fitting recesses a1, a2, a3 each having a trapezoidal configuration in section are formed in the abutment surface of the hinge main body a at predetermined locations in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, two fitting projections b1, b2 are formed on the abutment surface of the turnable member b. The two fitting projections b1, b2 are fitted in the fitting recesses a1, a2, when the reception section is turned to the vicinity of the closed position, for example (FIG. 18(B) shows a state in which the fitting projection b1 is fitted in the fitting recess a1). Then, the biasing force of the bias means is converted into a turn biasing force by inclination surfaces of the fitting projections b1, b2 and the fitting recesses a1, a2. By this turn biasing force, the reception section is turned into the closed position at a high speed and vigorously collided with the surface of the transmission section. As a consequence, a click sound is generated. On the other hand, when the reception section is turned to the vicinity of the open position, the fitting projections b1, b2 are fitted in the fitting recesses a3, a1, respectively, thereby causing the basal portion of the reception section to collide with the basal portion of the transmission section. Therefore, a click sound is also generated when the reception section is turned into the open position (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-11831).
In the above-mentioned conventional hinge assembly, if the reception section is turned at a low speed against the biasing force of the bias means when the reception section is turned into the closed position or open position, the reception section is merely contacted with the transmission section and never vigorously collided with the transmission section. Hence, there is such a problem that no click sound is generated.
The present applicant previously proposed a hinge assembly capable of solving the above problem under Japanese Patent Application No. H11-376023 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-152728). The hinge assembly according to this proposal comprises a movable member which is non-turnably but movably connected to a hinge main body. The movable member is caused to abut with a turnable member by bias means such as a coiled spring or the like. A fitting recess and a fitting projection are formed at the abutment surfaces of the turnable member and the movable member, respectively. When the reception section arrives at the vicinity of the closed position, the fitting recess and the fitting projection are fitted to each other to thereby convert the biasing force of the bias means into a turn biasing force in the closing direction. On the other hand, when the reception section arrives at the vicinity of the open position, the fitting recess and the fitting projection are fitted to each other to thereby convert the biasing force of the bias means into a turn biasing force in the opening direction. Therefore, if the reception section is located in the vicinity of the closed position or open position, it is rapidly turned to the closed position or open position by the biasing force of the bias means.
An abutment recess and an abutment projection both extending in the circumferential direction about the rotation axes of the transmission section and the reception section, are formed at the reception section and the turnable member, respectively. The abutment recess and the abutment projection are fitted to each other to thereby turn the turnable member following the motion of the reception section. However, the width of the abutment recess in the circumferential direction is set to be slightly larger than the width of the abutment projection in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the turnable member can make a relative turn by a fine angle corresponding to the difference in width between the reception section and the abutment projection with respect to the reception section.
In the hinge assembly thus constructed, when the fitting recess and the fitting projection are fitted to each other by turning the reception section to the vicinity of the closed position or open position, the turnable member is caused to make a rapid turn by a fine angle with respect to the reception section by the bias means. As a consequence, one side surfaces of the abutment recess and the abutment projection in the circumferential direction are collided with each other at a high speed. Accordingly, a click sound can be generated even if the transmission section is turned at a low speed.
In the hinge assembly according to the previous proposal, when the reception section is turned with respect to the transmission section, the movable member relatively turns with respect to the turnable member and the fitting projection of the movable member slidingly contacts on the abutment surface of the turnable member. Accordingly, if the turnable member should be formed of resin, it would probably be worn out soon. Therefore, the turnable member is formed of metal so that it will be prevented from being worn out soon.
However, if the turnable member is to be formed of metal, another problem arises in which the recent requirement for forming the casing of the reception section from resin cannot be met. That is, whenever the reception section is turned into the closed position or open position, the side surface of the abutment recess in the circumferential direction is collided with the abutment projection. At that time, if the turnable member should be made of metal and the reception section should be made of resin, the abutment projection would be worn out soon. For this reason, the casing of the reception section cannot be formed of resin.
In order to solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a hinge assembly comprises, in order to turnably connect an equipment main body and a cover member between a closed position and an open position, a hinge main body non-turnably connected to one of the equipment main body and the cover member, a turnable member arranged on a rotation axis of the equipment body and the cover member, turnably connected to the other of the equipment main body and the cover member, and turnably connected to the hinge main body, and turn bias means disposed between the hinge main body and the turnable member, the turn bias means biasing, when the cover member is located within a predetermined angular range from the closed position towards the open position side, the turnable member from the open position side towards the closed position side and biasing, when the cover member is located within a predetermined angular range from the open position towards the closed position side, the turnable member from the closed position side towards the open position side, an abutment recess being formed in an outer periphery of the turnable member, an abutment projection, which is to be inserted in the abutment recess, being formed on the other of the equipment main body and the cover member to which the turnable member is connected, wherein a driver member is disposed adjacent to the turnable member in a direction of the rotation axis, a pair of abutment projections for non-turnably connecting the driver member to the turnable member by being collided with opposite side surfaces of the abutment recess in the circumferential direction are formed on the driver member in such a manner as to be away from each other in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis, the abutment projection is inserted between the pair of abutment projections, so that when the turnable member is turned in the closing direction by the turn bias means, one of the pair of abutment projections is abutted with the abutment projection thereby turning the other of the equipment main body and the cover member to which the turning member is connected, towards the closed position side, and when the turnable member is turned in the opening direction by the turn bias means, the other of the pair of abutment projections is abutted with the abutment projection thereby turning the other of the equipment main body and the cover member towards the open position side, at least portions of the pair of abutment projections which are to be collided with the abutment projection, are formed of resin, and an interval between the pair of abutment projections in the circumferential direction is set to be larger by a predetermined small amount than a width of the abutment projection in the circumferential direction.
In order to solve the above problems, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge assembly comprises, in order to turnably connect an equipment main body and a cover member between a closed position and an open position, a hinge main body non-turnably connected to one of the equipment main body and the cover member, a turnable member arranged on a rotation axis of the equipment body and the cover member, turnably connected to the other of the equipment main body and the cover member, and turnably connected to the hinge main body, and turn bias means disposed between the hinge main body and the turnable member, the turn bias means biasing, when the cover member is located within a predetermined angular range from the closed position towards the open position side, the turnable member from the open position side towards the closed position side and biasing, when the cover member is located within a predetermined angular range from the open position towards the closed position side, the turnable member from the closed position side towards the open position side, a radially projecting abutment projection being formed on an outer periphery of the turnable member, an abutment recess, which allows the abutment projection to be inserted therein, being formed in the other of the equipment main body and the cover member to which the turnable member is connected, wherein a driver member is disposed adjacent to the turnable member in a direction of the rotation axis, a radially projecting support projection is formed on an outer periphery of the driver member and a pair of abutment projections projecting towards the turnable member side and for non-turnably connecting the driver member to the turnable member by being collided with opposite side surfaces of the abutment projection in the circumferential direction are formed on opposite end portions of the support projection in the circumferential direction, the pair of abutment projections are inserted in the abutment recess, so that when the turnable member is turned in the closing direction by the turn bias means, one of the pair of abutment projections is abutted with one side surface of the abutment recess in the circumferential direction thereby turning the other of the equipment main body and the cover member to which the turning member is connected, towards the closed position side, and when the turnable member is turned in the opening direction by the turn bias means, the other of the pair of abutment projections is abutted with the other side surface of the abutment recess thereby turning the other of the equipment main body and the cover member towards the open position side, at least portions of the pair of abutment projections which are to be collided with the side surfaces of the abutment recess, are formed of resin; and an interval between the side surfaces of the pair of abutment projections which are away from each other in the circumferential direction is set to be smaller by a predetermined small amount than a width of the abutment recess in the circumferential direction.
In the first and second aspects of the present invention, it is preferred that entirety of the driver member is formed of resin.
It is also preferred that the turn bias means comprises a movable member placed opposite the turnable member and disposed at the hinge main body such that the movable member is non-turnable but movable in a direction of the rotation axis and bias means for causing the movable member to abut with the turnable member, a first cam portion for converting the biasing force of the bias means into a turn biasing force for turning the turnable member from the open position side to the closed position side when the cover member is located within a predetermined angular range from the closed position towards the open position side and a second cam portion for converting the biasing force of the bias means into a turn biasing force for turning the turnable member from the closed position side to the open position side when the cover member is located within a predetermined angular range from the open position towards the closed position side are disposed between the turnable member and the movable member.